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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. rash — a series
  3. face — to confront
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. face — to point toward
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. rock — music
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. rock — a stone
  10. firm — steady
  11. spell — a short time
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. face — part of the head
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. spell — letters
  17. spell — magic
  18. rash — hasty
  19. craft — boats
  20. firm — decided
  21. craft — a skill
  22. firm — a company
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. nail — on a finger

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com